Windows Mobile

MicrosoftCorporation's (since mid-2003) brand name for software for mobile devices for PocketPc and SmartPhone. WinCe is the core OS whereas WindowsMobile are "OEM" versions of the product.

News and Developments

Sep05 Addiction merchants at MS PDC is selling a "HTC Universal" for U$150. It has WM5, camera, WiFi, BlueTooth, etc etc. Is this the MicrosoftPeabody? More prestigious than having a new XBox II :) No, PromotionIsTheProduct example, but let's blame it on Microsoft anyway. :)

Jun05 promised "Messaging & Security Feature Pack for Windows Mobile 5.0" in products by early 2006. Main advantage is push email via MS server based MicrosoftOutlook, providing similar functionality to BlackBerry. See announcement at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/business/5/default.mspx.

May05 released WindowsMobile 5 - (code name Magneto), Large price drop for the development environment, lots of provisions in upcoming products for EnterpriseApplication development (e.g. VisualStudioWhidbey, SqlServerYukon?). See http://www.msmobiles.com/news.php/3823.html

WindowsMobile 5 is based on the OS WinCe 5 (code name Macallan) which was released in late 2004.

WirelessDevices using WindowsMobile

source: http://www.bargainpda.com/default.asp?newsID=2516

No push email yet to compete with BlackBerry. However MicrosoftExchange? mail server is supposed to be enhanced to have this support in late 05. Moreover, "Active Sync" technology ihas been extended to include files and images.

Connectivity

Synchronization over TCP/IP has been removed, a possible InformationSecurity initiative. BlueTooth based sync is still available.

Another advancement is in easier (not seamless) switching between WiFi and Wireless Lan connections.

Other info

Office files (e.g. Word & EXCEL) are now stored in native format, InternetExplorer improved

InformationSecurity on WindowsMobile

May05 MS said its product got the FIPS-140-2 certification (a US government requirement for IT products). And the new addon in late 05 called "Messaging and Security Feature Pack" (MSFP) allow remote admin of PDAs (e.g. clear PDA memory after several unsuccessful signon attempts).

Gartner analysts repeated their 3 year old criticisms that the company should have its own security framework for this platform, insteading of relying on 3rd party products to achieve level of protection required by enterprises. See http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1826676,00.asp
one of the first 3rd party support product was a smartcard middleware developed by Saflink and announced Jun05. See http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS2246474319.html

Enhanced Hardware support

WindowsMobile 5.0

Before you get attracted to new features of WM5, please note at mid05 many new high-end PDAs and phones are released with older WM3 OS. See, for example, the US$1K HP iPAQ hw6515, at http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS9359404310.html.

Persistent (flash) memory support, hard disk support, display support in landscape mode, better power management, builtin support for GPS and camera. Interface is also designed so it can be operated by one hand only. USB2 and Bluetooth devices support (e.g. controversial gum sized virtual keyboard [VKB] from iTech) now included. The BlueTooth "Human Interface Devices profile" support mean no additional drivers needed when linking to a suitable source.

For phones, there will be keyboard support, WiFi and 3G networking interfaces.

Another noteworthy point is that it now supports simultaneous data connections (e.g. W-LAN and GPRS/UMTS) including seamless handover between both connection types. See http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/index.php?topic_id=41973

Second edition of WindowsMobile 2003

Increased the resolution supported for PDA and smartphones, the former now to 640x480 VGA , and the latter to 320x240. Casio being one example of "new" (Dec2004) model designed to take advantage of increased resolution, at US2K price.

Nov2004 information said WindowsMobile has taken over Palm as the OS of choice for PDA. And that future Palm hardware will start to offer WindowsMobile OS as an option.

Also WiFi 802.11g is starting to be offered on PDAs.

And MS concurs that (only) "a little bit of money" for developers of WindowsMobile applications.

Example use WindowsMobile for VoluntarySimplicity

In 2005 AMD has launched in US an expensive (compared to unbranded Linux PC) "Personal Internet Communicator" targeting people who would not buy a full fledged PC. The OS it uses is WindowsMobile 5 with its included tools such as PocketInternetExplorer.

The unit will need to be hooked up to an external monitor (not TV). It has only 2 spare USB ports and is not intended to be opened up to add hardware.

Chief problems at the moment appear to be slower performance and price tag. A small number of web sites (e.g. GoogleMaps with its technology that fired up the AjaxWebApplications genre) are not accessible but on the whole it is relatively problem free.

See more at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/15/AR2005101500179.html

Resources

Platform migration from earlier (WindowsMobile) versions at http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnppcgen/html/migration_developers_faq.asp

free software at http://www.freewareppc.com/

Tool Support Matrix at http://blogs.msdn.com/windowsmobile/archive/2005/06/02/424382.aspx

shows PocketPc via SmartPhone differences as well

WM5 memory usage aspects see a Nov05 in-depth discussion at http://blogs.msdn.com/windowsmobile/archive/2005/11/17/494177.aspx